Jerry Coneal III, a 20-year-old Menlo Park resident and one of four defendants awaiting trial in the 2012 gang slaying of 7-Eleven employee and Milpitas resident Mohammad “Moe” Reza Sadeghzadeh, faces a new potential trial for another gang-related murder in a different Bay Area county.

Last week, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Amir Alem confirmed Coneal was facing the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole for the October 2012 killing of 21-year-old Christopher Baker in East Palo Alto.

“He’s been transferred to San Mateo County,” Alem told this newspaper July 1. “He’s been transferred today and arraigned today.”

Coneal, a reputed Taliban gang member from the Menlo Park and East Palo Alto areas, was linked to the murder along with 15 other alleged gang members following an investigation into a series of violent crimes that occurred in 2012 and 2013. Those crimes included at least four murders, shootings, drug trafficking offenses, a robbery, illegal firearms possession and witness intimidation, among other charges.

The criminal investigation, dubbed “Operation Sunny Day,” was in reference to a phrase used by gang members to say a murder had been completed.

Although Coneal did face the state’s maximum penalty of death in the San Mateo County case, Alem confirmed the reputed gang member now faces life without the possibility of parole for the other case.

And depending on that case’s outcome, Alem said Coneal — looking at 25 years to life for allegedly committing the Milpitas 7-Eleven slaying — could still stand trial for Sadeghzadeh’s homicide.

“We’re going to give San Mateo County the opportunity to try him first,” Alem said, noting the other case is further along than Santa Clara County’s case and may proceed to trial sooner. “But our case is still moving forward.”

Coneal and Travis then allegedly forced the 67-year-old victim at gunpoint into a back room. About one minute later, a witness vehicle pulled into the 7-Eleven parking lot. Travis emerged from the back room, saw the vehicle and ran back into the back office area, police said.

A police department statement of facts says Coneal then shot Sadeghzadeh in the mouth, and all three suspects fled on foot out of the store, but not before stealing the victim’s gold necklace and pendant, Swisher Sweets cigarettes and $256 cash, police said.

Police documents assert Coneal, Travis and Armstead are all validated members of the violent Taliban/Yellow Tape criminal street gang.

Cell tower information allegedly placed Armstead and Travis’ phone in Menlo Park several hours before the homicide and near 7-Eleven during the homicide, police said. Coneal’s cell phone was in the area of the 7-Eleven prior to and during the homicide, the police statement of facts says. Subsequent search warrants also showed text messages between Armstead and Coneal referencing the Milpitas 7-Eleven homicide, according to police.

On Sept. 23, 2012, detectives allegedly intercepted a YouTube video called “211TA187,” references to California penal codes for robbery and homicide as well as the Taliban street gang. In the video, authorities say Coneal rapped about a robbery turned homicide.

“Did him in and left the place without a trace. One shot to the mouth now it’s a closed case,” Coneal allegedly rapped in the video.

After the murder, police say Armstead had numerous conversations about the Milpitas 7-Eleven homicide with Coneal, Travis and other Taliban gang members. Officers eventually intercepted a phone call between Travis and his girlfriend, Bianca Barrow, and discussed Travis’ involvement in the homicide, including the fact that Travis was unarmed and wearing a mask during the robbery-homicide, police said.

Travis and Barrow also discussed both Armstead and Coneal and their involvement in the murder, police said. Eventually, evidence was obtained that identified Barrow as the “getaway” driver during the robbery-homicide, police said.

Travis was arrested at the Menlo Park Police Department on Dec. 6, 2012 while Armstead was arrested at a hotel in Santa Clara the same day. Barrow was arrested at the Menlo Park Police Department on Dec. 9, 2012.

Coneal had been in custody in San Mateo County on unrelated charges, possibly on suspicion of Baker’s homicide.

Coneal and Armstead were 17 years old at the time of the killing, but all are being charged as adults. The four defendants are also being charged as members of a criminal street gang who allegedly killed Sadeghzadeh with a firearm for the benefit and furtherance of the gang.

According to Alem, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s case against defendants Travis, Barrow and Armistead will proceed with upcoming court dates likely to be held by September.

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